Consulting

Our experience in the water industry, especially in remote meter reading and process digitization, allows us to gain a detailed understanding of the water utility environment and processes. Thanks to this experience, we have come to the conclusion that a consulting approach is the best way to help our customers be efficient and successful.

Advisory approach

Our work in the field of water management, and especially in the field of remote reading of water meters and digitalization of processes in the water management, allows us to get to know the environment and processes of water companies. This knowledge and getting to know our clients has gradually led us to the only and, we believe, the best way to help our customers be effective and successful today. That way is a consulting approach in solving client requirements.

For successful deployment and client satisfaction, it is necessary to design and develop in the context of knowledge of the environment in which the client operates. This means with regard to the specific environment of the water utility and with regard to the systems and procedures that the client uses.

We always try to understand our clients' requirements, not only with respect to a specific product or service, but also in the broader context of their environment. Understanding the context means understanding:

  • Reasons – it is not always completely clear what the main reason is and what the client wants to achieve with the project.
  • Processes and activities – it is easy to design a solution based on a simple assignment, but such a solution will sooner or later need to be adjusted and changed. The sequence of activities and processes can be very specific to the waterworks environment, and therefore it is necessary to base it on knowledge of the environment rather than relying on general practices and procedures.
  • Habits of the waterworks – it is always appropriate to take into account the specifics and habits of the waterworks, which may have some activities and procedures that are completely different from what is customary in the given field.
  • Tools and information technologies used – our products are based on IT technologies and the transfer of information between information systems. Understanding the client's tools allows us to optimally set up systems and possibly propose changes that will ensure the effective functioning of the whole.
  • Relationships in the client's environment - all activity, whether in business or in personal life, depends on people who engage in communication and who will be part of the team or will collaborate on the project in any way. We are aware that each person is unique and we approach both our own employees and the client's employees in this sense. We believe that a satisfied person is more effective.

Analytical work can extend the project at the beginning of the process, but we believe that guided analysis at the beginning of the project is worth it because we will not be surprised together at the end of the project and our projects will end on schedule.

We don't want to be just a supplier, we want to be a partner for our clients.

Consulting as a product

As already mentioned, we always follow the path of an individual project based on an understanding of the customer's needs, but experience with consulting projects has allowed us to define the following types of consulting projects:

  • Analytical projects
  • Optimization projects
  • Pilot projects
  • Determination of DO / VDM Strategy

Each of the above project types has a defined general structure, but the output from the project will always be unique and targeted to the requirements of a specific client.

Analytical projects

Product description:

This is an individual analytical project for the client, focusing on revealing bottlenecks or with predefined goals.

  • Analysis of the processes of installing, replacing and reading water meters, including re-investigation or analysis of another client process with a focus on revealing bottlenecks.
  • Analysis of the tools and systems used by the client, etc.

Added value:

  • External perspective of consultants with experience in water plant processes (not only) across the Czech Republic.
  • Discovery of weak points - potential for improvement (efficiency, labor, costs, etc.).
  • Recommendations for optimizing weak points.

Outputs:

  • Output report including a management summary with a description of the status and suggestions for optimization.
  • Flowcharts documenting the current status of the company's processes including individual activities, inputs, outputs, tools and responsibilities.
Analytické projekty

Optimization projects

Product description:

This is an individual optimization project for the client, focusing on designing optimization based on an analysis of the current state.

  • Optimization of the processes of installation, replacement and reading of water meters, including the review or optimization of another client process.
  • Proposal for optimizing the use of tools and systems provided by the client.
  • Proposal for procedures for how to put the proposed improvements into practice (implementation procedure).

Added value:

  • External perspective of consultants with experience in processes (not only) of water utilities across the Czech Republic.
  • Optimization proposal to increase efficiency, reduce labor, costs, etc.
  • Optional - development of a tool (application, reporting, etc.) tailored to the company.

Outputs:

  • Output report including a management summary with a description of optimization proposals.
  • Proposals of flow charts of future processes including individual activities, inputs, outputs, tools and responsibilities.
  • Optional – applications, reporting sets, etc.
Optimalizační projekty

Pilot projects

Product description:

If the client decides to deploy a new product (water meter, remote reading device, etc.) or tool/system in their own water utility environment, a pilot project is what will allow them to safely and controlledly test and integrate these products or tools into their own environment.

Added value:

  • Experience with pilot projects integrating smart water meters, remote reading devices, reading applications, etc. in water utilities in the Czech Republic.
  • Management of the pilot project on the IOTW side.
  • Integration tailored to the water utility and the systems it uses.

Outputs:

  • Output report from the pilot project including a management summary with integration evaluation and recommendations for production deployment.
  • In-house integration of the technology in the waterworks production environment.

Determination of DO / VDM Strategy

Product description:

Experience with remote water meter reading systems, their implementation in water utilities, operation in water utility environments and their use puts us in the role of experts in the given issue. We know the requirements of individual water utilities and trends in the field of remote readings in the world. Therefore, we are able to develop a detailed strategy for our clients to use water meters and remote reading devices, taking into account current trends and developments in the market, based on an understanding of their requirements.

  • Analysis of the state of use of VDM and DO in the waterworks.
  • Determination of a long-term strategy for the use of VDM and DO in the waterworks.
  • Determination of the optimal number of DO. Determination of procedures and recommendations for the management of VDM and DO in the waterworks.

Added value:

  • External view of the use of VDM and DO in the waterworks.
  • Mapping the situation of the use of VDM and DO, including the identification of bottlenecks suitable for optimization.
  • Defining the Strategy for the use of VDM and DO in the waterworks, including the rules and procedures for its implementation.

Outputs:

  • Output analytical report on the status of VDM and DO utilization.
  • Strategy for the use of VDM and DO of the waterworks, including a cost model.
  • Recommendations (rules and procedures) suitable for incorporation into the waterworks' management documentation.
  • Optional - creation of management documentation (guidelines, work instructions, etc.).
Optimalizační projekty